1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system useful for spraying a fluid mist through an array of sprayer heads to treat the atmosphere in a location that is generally defined by the array, and more particularly, to a light-activated mist sprayer system that initiates a flow of treating fluid in response to a sensed ambient light condition of desired intensity and duration. Once initiated, the fluid mist spray desirably continues for a predetermined interval. A preferred application for the system is for eradicating or repelling flying or crawling insects during the periods of significant insect activity that typically occur around dusk and dawn.
2. Description of Related Art
Problems associated with the presence of mosquitoes and other flying insects are well known, particularly during summer months when people typically engage in many outdoor activities. People have long appreciated the dangers associated with mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and equine encephalitis. More recently, publicity associated with the West Nile virus in has heightened public awareness of dangers that can be associated with mosquito bites. Additionally, people are generally aware of the pain, discomfort and potentially dangerous allergic reactions that can accompany the bites of various flying and crawling insects encountered outdoors in either urban or rural areas.
Various chemical sprays and devices have previously been used to control flying and crawling insects, spiders, and other such pests. Chemical sprays containing environmentally acceptable concentrations of insecticides or pesticides have historically been applied using hand-held sprayers, fogging machines, and the like. Such sprays are sometimes applied by governmental agencies in parks, residential neighborhoods and other high-risk urban areas, but are most often applied by individuals using hand-held sprayers in and around their own homes and yards. In more rural settings, sprayer systems have previously been used to spray insecticides or pesticides in and around barns, livestock holding areas, and the like. Other devices that have previously been used to control insects and other pests have incorporated a lure or an attractant, such as food baits, light, pheromones, or carbon dioxide, to draw the insects or pests to a trap, electrically energized grid, or poison.
Many of the prior art systems and devices for controlling insects and pests are operated directly by the user. Others are controlled by timers that are preset to initiate their function at a particular time and for a particular interval. In some cases, the electrical energy required to operate the devices, particularly those disposed in remote or rural areas where electricity is not readily available, is obtained from batteries or solar cells. U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,621, for example, discloses a pest control device for outdoor use comprising a solar-powered fan that enhances the circulation of odorous repellent to the external ambient environment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,763,873 discloses an agricultural implement for spraying herbicides on weeds that utilizes a photo-detector circuit to avoid spraying the herbicide on bare soil. The photo-detector circuit is not affected by changes in ambient lighting conditions.
Various solar-powered devices have previously been disclosed that utilize solar-powered batteries to store electrical energy during daylight hours for use in operating electric timers capable of turning one or more outdoor lights on and off daily and, in some cases, for powering those lights. The use of photocells for activating or deactivating a mechanical device upon receipt of light is also well known. Photocells are most often triggered by the impingement or interruption of a directed light beam and not by ambient light. U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,758 discloses receiver circuits for detecting a target light source that effectively remove “noise,” including ambient daylight, during the operation of such devices. Other devices have been disclosed that turn one or more lights on or off in response to predetermined levels of ambient light.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,366 discloses a highly automated agricultural production system comprising a weather sensor package used to measure weather conditions, including the sunlight energy spectrum, the intensity of which is measured using a plant growth photometer said to be available from International Light, Inc. The system is said to optionally include a fluid delivery system useful in controlling insects and diseases, but is complex and not desirable for home use.
Mosquitoes, flies and other insects are most easily controlled when they are most active, often during the time around sunrise and sunset. The use of timers alone to activate spraying or misting systems is often inadequate for initiating spraying at the onset of the relatively short periods when such pests are most active. Timers alone are not responsive to variations in daylight hours, weather conditions and topography that can all affect ambient light levels and insect activity at a particular time of day in a particular location.
A mist sprayer system is therefore needed that will activate automatically at dusk or dawn and spray for a preset interval, that can optionally be activated manually or by using a remote transmitter, and that will be effective for eradicating or repelling flying and crawling insects, spiders and the like from outdoor areas in which the system is deployed.